Cutter bit cluster support



y 1963 E. J. HLINSKY 3,088,720

CUTTER BIT CLUSTER SUPPORT Filed Oct. 15, 1959 r I ""1 i I 26 i 43 l g V l l United States Patent Office 3,688,720 Patented May 7, 1963 3,688,720 CUTTER BIT CLUSTER SUPPGRT Emil J. Hlinsky, La Grange Park, Ill., assignor to Goodman Manufacturing Company, Chicago, 1711., a corporation of Illinois Filed Oct. 15, 1959, Ser. No. 846,699 2 Claims. (Cl. 26226) This invention relates to improvements in cutting devices for coal and the like, and more particularly relates to an improved mounting means for the cutters of continuous mining machines.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved mounting means for the bits of a boring type of continuous mining machine, mounting the bits in clusters for replacement as a unit.

A further object of the invention is to provide a bit mounting means for mounting the bits for the boring heads of continuous mining machines in clusters arranged with a view toward simplicity and efliciency and ready detachability from the rotary boring head of the machine, to replace the dull bits with sharp bits in a cluster.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a bit support block for the bits of a continuous mining machine so arranged as to retain a cluster of the cutter bits thereto by the wedging action between the bits and their bit receiving slots, and having interengaging connection with the cutter support of a boring head for a continuous mining machine, providing an uninterrupted surface on the cutter support and accommodating ready removal and replacement of the bit support block.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved form of support means for the cutter bits of continuous mining machines and the like, in which the bit support block is detachably recessed within the cutter arm of a continuous mining machine and has interengagement therewith and forms a continuation of the face of the cutter support of a continuous mining machine, and in which the retaining means for the bits in the support block comprise generally rectangular slots leading thereinto from the outer end thereof and terminating into drilled and cross-drilled holes, the rectangular slots having tapered advance faces Cooperating with corresponding faces on the bits, for holding the bits in position by the taper thereof, and the drilled and crossdrilled holes accommodating ready removal of the bits from their slots.

These and other objects of the invention will appear from time to time as the following specification proceeds and with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary view in side elevation of a boring head of a continuous mining machine having a bit mounting means constructed in accordance with the invention on the outer cutter support thereof;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary front end view of the outer cutter support, illustrating the bit mounting means of the invention in end view; and

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view of the outer cutter support shown in FIGURE 1, with certain parts thereof broken away and shown in section, showing the bit mounting block in position in the cutter support, with certain parts broken away and in section, in order to illustrate the self-retaining mountings of the cutter bits in the bit supporting block.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawing, reference numeral generally designates a rotatable boring head of a boring type of continuous mining machine. The boring head 10 may be of a well known form commonly used on boring types of continuous mining machines, in which a plurality of laterally spaced boring heads make contiguous boring cuts in a mine face, as the boring heads are rotatably driven and axially fed into the mine face.

The boring head 10 includes a radially extending arm 11, extending radially from a hub 12, rotatably driven from a longitudinally extending drive shsaft 13, rotatably supported in a gear casing (not shown) of a continuous mining machine.

The arm 11 has a central cutter support 15 and an intermediate cutter support 16 extending outwardly therefrom in radially spaced relation with respect to each other. The cutter supports 15 and 16 are generally arcuate in end view and conform to the arc of travel thereof, and have cutter bits 17 projecting forwardly therefrom, for cutting radially spaced annular kerfs in the mine face. The cutter supports 15 and 16 are shown as having wedges 19 and 20 respectively extending from the outer sides thereof, to enter the kerfs cut by the bits 17 and break down the cores between the supports 15 and 16, and between the support 16 and an outer peripheral cutter support 21.

The outer peripheral cutter support 21 extends forwardly from a radial arm 22, telescopically mounted within the arm 11 for radial adjustment with respect thereto, to vary the cutting diameter of the boring head. The peripheral cutter support 21 may be adjustably moved with respect to the cutter support 16 by suitable adjustment means (not shown), which is no part of the present invention so is not herein shown or described further.

The cutter support 21 is shown as being generally arcuate in end view, to conform to the cutting radius of said cutter support, and has a ledge 23 extending from the advance edge thereof having a plurality of bit slots 24 leading therethrough for supporting cutter bits 25. The cutter bits 25 are spaced along the ledge 23 and extend radially outwardly therefrom to trim the bore and cut clearance for the peripheral cutter support 21. Set screws 26, threaded within the ledge 23 from the advance face thereof, are provided to retain the cutter bits 25 in position.

The peripheral cutter support 21 has a recess 27 there in, open to the front and sides of said cutter support, for detachably supporting a cutter bit support block 29, supporting a plurality of cutter bits 30 in a cluster, as will hereinafter more clearly appear as this specification proceeds.

The recess 27 has grooves .31 extending along opposite ends thereof, from the outer to inner side thereof and slidably receiving tongues 33 extending from opposite ends of the bit support block 29. The tongues 33 stop short of the inner ends of the grooves 31 and are beveled at their inner end portions, as indicated by reference character 34, to accommodate insertion of the cutter bit support block 29 within the recess 27, with an outer plane face 35 thereof, flush with the outer face of the peripheral cutter bit support 21.

Mating arcuate recesses 36 and 37 are provided in the tongues 33 and in the peripheral cutter support 21 and open toward the grooves 31, respectively, to receive locking pins 39 for locking the cutter bit support block 29 in position within the recess 27. It should be understood that the recess 37 is formed by a drilled hole, drilled through the peripheral cutter support 21 and intersecting the groove 31, to accommodate the locking pin 39 to be placed therein and thereby lock the cutter bit support block in position within the recess 27.

The locking pin 39 has a bendable locking rod or wire 40 extending axially therethrough beyond opposite ends thereof. The projecting ends of the locking wire may be bent over to register with outwardly opening locking slots 41, in opposite faces of the peripheral cutter support 21, and opening to the drilled portions thereof forming the recesses 37.

When it is desired to remove the bit mounting block from the recess 27, it is merely necessary to straighten one bent end of each locking wire 40, and to then remove the pins 39 from the registering arcuate recesses 36 and 37.

The bit mounting block 29 is shown as having three outwardly opening bit holding slots 43 extending therethrough, one center slot opening through the face 35, and the other slots being inclined at opposite angles with respect to each other and opening to oppositely inclined faces 44, to position the leading and trailing cutter bits 30 to each side of the center bit 30, to cut clearance for theperipheral cutter support 21.

Each slot 43 is generally rectangular in cross-section and is formed by first drilling a hole 45 from the outer to inner end of the block 29, and then broaching the slot to a position terminating in spaced cross-drilled holes 46, forming the bottom of the slot and accommodating the cuttings to drop out of the slot, to thereby render the slot self-cleaning, as Well as to accommodate removal of the bit 30 by a pry bar or the like.

The slot 43 has a forwardly inclined rear wall 47, engaging the rear wall of the bit 30 and pitching the bit 30 at the proper cutting angle. Said slot also has a forwardly tapered front wall 49 conforming to a front tapered face 50 of the bit 30, and retaining the bit 38 within the slot 43 upon hitting the bit with a blow from a hammer and the like. The taper of the face 50 of the bit 30 is greater than the angle of the Morse taper, but is less than the angle of friction slip of steel on steel and may be in the range of 4 /2 to 6 /2 Such a taper will efficiently hold the cutter bits within their slots when driven therein by the blow of a hammer, and will accommodate ready removal of said bits from their slots.

It may be seen from the foregoing that a simple and efficient bit mounting means has been provided for mounting the bits of a continuous mining machine and the like in clusters, and accommodating ready removal of the mounting means with a cluster of bits.

It may further be seen that the bit mounting means is recessed within the bit support and thereby does not interrupt the surface thereof, and that the bit receiving slots cooperate with the bits to retain the bits in position by the wedging action between the bits and slots .and terminate in cross-drilled holes, drilled through the bit mounting means, to accommodate self-cleaning thereof and ready removal of the bits from the bit mounting means by the use of a pry bar or the like.

While I have herein shown and described one form in which my invention may be embodied, it should be understood that various modifications end variations in the invention may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concepts thereof, as defined by the claims appended hereto.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a bit mounting device particularly adapted for the boring heads of continuous mining machines and the like having a. a rotatable boring arm having b. a cutter support extending forwardly therefrom and generally conforming to the arc of rotation of said support,

c. a generally rectangular recess in said cutter support opening to the front and opposite sides thereof,

d. said recess having opposite parallel end walls having grooves extending therealong in the direction of the axis of rotation of said boring arm,

e. a bit carrying block insertable within said recess and having a plurality of spaced cutter bits carried thereby and projecting forwardly therefrom,

1. said bit carrying 'block having opposite parallel end walls conforming to the end walls of said recess, and

g. means for retaining said block within said recess,

comprising h. tongues projecting from and extending along said parallel end walls of said bit carrying block and registerable with said grooves in said cutter support i. and spaced locking pins extending through said cutter support and intersecting said recess and having inter engagement with said tongues, said locking pins being within the confines of said cutter support when said block is locked therein.

2. In a bit mounting device particularly adapted for the boring heads of continuous mining machines and the like having a. a rotatable boring arm having b. a cutter support extending forwardly therefrom and having spaced circumferential surfaces generally conforming to the arc of rotation of said support,

a generally rectangular recess in said cutter support opening through said circumferential surfaces and to the front of said cutter support,

d. said recess having parallel end walls having grooves recessed therein and opening toward each other and extending in the direction of the axis of rotation of said boring arms e. a generally rectangular bit carrying block insertable within said recess and having a plurality of spaced cutter bits carried thereby and projecting forwardly therefrom,

1. means retaining said block within said recess, comprising g. tongues projecting from opposite ends of said block for registry with said grooves,

h. apertured portions leading through the said circumferential surfaces of said grooves and forming circumferential recesses in the end walls of said grooves,

i. circumferential recesses in said tongues registerable with said aperture portions and said circumferential recesses in said grooves j. and means for retaining said block into said recess comprising 1. locking pins registering with said apertured portions and said circumferential recesses in said tongues and grooves and located wholly within said circumferential surfaces of said cutter support.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 688,945 De Grave Dec. 17, 1901 2,036,111 Wilson Mar. 31, 1936 2,587,065 Robbins Feb. 26, 1952 2,700,189 Mick Jan. 25, 1955 2,899,187 Biedess Aug. 17, 1959 2,955,810 McWhorter Oct. 11, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 703,657 Great Britain Feb. 10, 1954 

1. IN A BIT MOUNTING DEVICE PARTICULARLY ADAPTED FOR THE BORING HEADS OF CONTINUOUS MINING MACHINES AND THE LIKE HAVING A. A ROTATABLE BORING ARM HAVING B. A CUTTER SUPPORT EXTENDING FORWARDLY THEREFROM AND GENERALLY CONFORMING TO THE ARC OF ROTATION OF SAID SUPPORT, C. A GENERALLY RECTANGULAR RECESS IN SAID CUTTER SUPPORT OPENING TO THE FRONT AND OPPOSITE SIDES THEREOF, D. SAID RECESS HAVING OPPOSITE PARALLEL END WALLS HAVING GROOVES EXTENDING THEREALONG IN THE DIRECTION OF THE AXIS OF ROTATION OF SAID BORING ARM, E. A BIT CARRYING BLOCK INSERTABLE WITHIN SAID RECESS AND HAVING A PLURALITY OF SPACED CUTTER BITS CARRIED THEREBY AND PROJECTING FORWARDLY THEREFROM, F. SAID BIT CARRYING BLOCK HAVING OPPOSITE PARALLEL END WALLS CONFORMING TO THE END WALLS OF SAID RECESS, AND G. MEANS FOR RETAINING SAID BLOCK WITHIN SAID RECESS, COMPRISING H. TONGUES PROJECTING FROM AND EXTENDING ALONG SAID PARALLEL END WALLS OF SAID BIT CARRYING BLOCK AND REGISTERABLE WITH SAID GROOVES IN SAID CUTTER SUPPORT I. AND SPACED LOCKING PINS EXTENDING THROUGH SAID CUTTER SUPPORT AND INTERSECTING SAID RECESS AND HAVING INTER ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID TONGUES, SAID LOCKING PINS BEING WITHIN THE CONFINES OF SAID CUTTER SUPPORT WHEN SAID BLOCK IS LOCKED THEREIN. 